The main trends of historical and cultural revival in Ukraine, 2005–2010

Abstract

Abstract. Introdution. Until 2005, state policy in the field of culture and history was marked by conjuncture and ambivalence, and on the other hand, it tended to compromise in order to maintain public peace between supporters of different political camps and carriers of different historical memories. In the process of formation of state policy of memory in independent Ukraine, the period 2005 – 2010 occupies a key place due to the process of institutionalization of this industry, and was accompanied by new phenomena and processes – «war of monuments», victimization of historical narrative, new forms of memorial practices and initiatives, the establishment of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, expanding access to the archives of the Security Service of Ukraine, etc.

Methods of researching are represented by: analysis of sources; comparative method; comparative and systematization; generalization.

Results. Until 2005, state policy in the field of culture and history was marked by conjuncture and ambivalence, and on the other hand, it tended to compromise in order to maintain public peace between supporters of different political camps and carriers of different historical memories.

In the process of formation of state policy of memory in independent Ukraine, the period 2005 – 2010 occupies a key place due to the process of institutionalization of this industry, and was accompanied by new phenomena and processes – «war of monuments», victimization of historical narrative, new forms of memorial practices and initiatives, the establishment of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, expanding access to the archives of the Security Service of Ukraine, etc.

The processes of historical and cultural revival in Ukraine in 2005 – 2010 have not yet been an independent object of scientific study, but have been indirectly analyzed by a number of researchers.

Between January 2005 and February 2010 Victor  Yushchenko issued at least 162 decrees, relating to historical policy (twice as many as during Leonid Kuchma’s two terms). Of these, 41 decrees were aimed at commemorating the anniversaries of historical events; 29 – to celebrate the anniversaries of prominent figures; 26 – in honor of the memory of prominent figures; 7 – to celebrate previously established holidays; 2 – for the establishment of new public holidays; 15 – for the preservation and revival of monuments; 7 – to support historical research and popularize history; 4 – for the preservation of historical and cultural memory; 17 – in honor of the memory of the victims of the Holodomor and political repressions; the remaining 13 decrees were institutional.

One of President Yushchenko’s important measures in the field of historical policy was the Security Service’s of Ukraine work to declassify and publish archival materials from its own archives, which concerned the functioning of the Soviet punitive and repressive system. In the course of this work, the implementation of the program «Rehabilitated by History» was accelerated, which is dedicated to identifying and publishing information about repressed citizens, including by means of the electronic National database of victims of political repressions; received support from the scientific journal «From the archives of VUCHK-GPU-NKVD-KGB»; a series of documentaries «Secrecy Seal Removed» about repressed liberation activists was prepared.

One of the elements of historical policy of the third President of Ukraine was the establishment on May 31, 2006 of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory as a central executive body. Its primary tasks were to honor the memory of the victims of the Holodomor of 1932 – 1933 and political repressions, participants in the national liberation struggle; research of state-building processes in Ukraine, as well as extensive scientific and educational work in the field of national memory of Ukrainians.

Yushchenko’s presidency marked a new stage in the «War of Monuments». The most resonant cases were the erection of a monument to S. Bandera in Lviv and Catherine II in Odessa in 2007 and the attempt to erect a monument to J. Stalin in Yalta in 2005. In addition, an important step towards Ukrainian-Polish dialogue was opening on June 24, 2005 of the restored Memorial to the Fallen Soldiers of the Ukrainian Galician Army and the Eagles Memorial in Lviv with the participation of the Presidents of the Republic of Poland (A. Kwasniewski) and Ukraine (V. Yushchenko).

Originality. Author identifies and analyzes the main trends in the cultural and historical policy of the third president of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko (2005 – 2010). The main goals, ideological foundations and tools of state policy in the field of culture and historical memory are clarified during the presidency of Victor Yushchenko.

Conclusion. Given the above, we summarize: the period of Victor Yushchenko’s presidency (2005 – 2010) was accompanied by a historical and cultural revival in Ukraine. The historical policy of the third president has moved away from unsystematic, opportunistic, isolated and cautious steps aimed only at maintaining public peace between supporters of different political camps and bearers of different historical memories, and has acquired a pronounced national character. During 2005 – 2010, the sphere of state memory policy was institutionalized, which was manifested not only by the emergence of the Institute of National Memory and legislative settlement of some difficult moments in the history of Ukraine, but also the active issuance of presidential decrees aimed at introducing new forms of memorial practices and initiatives, establishment of new holidays and memorable events to be celebrated at the state level, opening of a number of new and reconstruction of existing objects of reserve and museum fund, introduction of a number of regional programs for development of historical and tourist routes (for example, «The Golden Horseshoe of Cherkasy region») etc.